The Grammys created a new category for Asian pop music, but BTS have decided to withdraw from the awards in 2027. The group says music should be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.

The Recording Academy — organisers of the Grammy Awards — said the creation of several new categories, including Asian pop, is meant to make the ceremony more inclusive.

So, is the new category a long-overdue recognition of Asia’s growing influence on global pop or does it risk putting Asian artists in a box?

In this episode, host Mariko Oi speaks to BBC music correspondent Mark Savage and Asian pop commentator Andy Trieu about BTS’s relationship with the Grammys, which has for years been grappling with how to best reflect the rise of K-Pop. In the conversation, they try to answer the one question everyone seems to be asking: who gets to define what pop music is.

Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.

Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Get in touch: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk

This episode was recorded on 20 August 2026.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is tightening visa and residency rules for foreigners amid growing concerns about the pace of immigration in recent years.

But Japan’s overall population continues to shrink alongside neighbouring China and South Korea, raising a question: Why don’t these countries embrace larger-scale immigration as a way to offset the decline?

Takaichi’s changes to permanent residency rules, visa fees and compliance processes aim to enforce and tidy up an existing system that has already opened the door to foreign workers.

But until the last decade or so, immigration was largely a foreign concept in Japan, and the relatively rapid increase in foreign residents to more than 3% of the total population has prompted concerns and debate.

Population decline is also affecting neighbouring China, where authorities are encouraging couples to have more babies.

But China isn’t looking to bring in foreign workers, and less than 0.1 per cent of the resident population there is from abroad.

In this episode of the Asia Specific podcast, host Mariko Oi is joined by the BBC’s Japan correspondent Kurumi Mori and Shawn Yuan of the BBC’s Global China Unit to discuss attitudes towards immigration across North East Asia, and how people in Japan and China view the West’s experience of multiculturalism.

China has a growing “manosphere”. But it isn't a copy of the one in the West. So what's fuelling the anger among many young Chinese men?

There are no Andrew Tate-style influencers leading a movement. Instead, frustration is spread across online communities where some young men vent about dating and the cost of building a family.

The soaring cost of marriage and the long shadow of the one-child policy have turned up economic and demographic pressures on the country, reshaping relationships in China today.

On this episode, host Mariko Oi is joined by a senior journalist working on the Asia Specific podcast, Derek Cai. Also on the discussion are Dr. Ling Tang, who teaches cultural studies at the University of Melbourne, and Yihuan Zhang, a graduate researcher at the University of Macau.

Together, they examine why and how Beijing has targeted both feminist and misogynistic voices online, and what the government's efforts to control the conversation reveal about power, gender and social stability in China.

Asia Pacific, unpacked by those who know it best. Bringing you essential insights and conversations on the stories shaping the region - an economic powerhouse, geo-political flashpoint and the birthplace of global cultural trends.

Hear Asian perspectives on international issues and in-depth analysis on news from a region that’s home to nearly 2.5 billion people.Whether it is the latest on trade between the US and China, the rise and fall of political dynasties in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, or South Korea’s K-pop inspired soft power strategy, we find out what key players are thinking and dive into the stories that matter.

Hosted in Singapore by Mariko Oi, alongside BBC experts in Beijing, Bangkok, and beyond – listen to new episodes twice a week. Episodes of Asia Specific are also available on YouTube, here: https://bit.ly/4iJyeVt

Get in touch: asiaspecific@bbc.co.uk